Of course it is Midlands. That’s an odd one from you.
What our shareholders don’t spend on Beek the club can maybe spend elsewhere. For sure our big spender Texter has not got a bottomless pit so we must prioritise.
We’ve got Gallagher Jimmy Schluppie Hughes Kouyate. Do we really need Beek for 15 games. Our boys looked great against the scousers. Schluppie was on fire.

If the decision is DvdB's and not United's then it'll be interesting to see what he does. Everton are nearer and are a richer club, but they are also an unstable one. They probably need him more than us though. He might look and see how well CG is doing and think "I want some of that", or he might be concerned he won't come straight in because we're a bit more settled (although I think he probably would).

If this comes off then great but if it doesn't I won't lose any sleep.

Anyone else wonder what role DvdB would play, precisely? I know he scores goals but I seem to have read he's a midfield lynchpin type - who do we have that is quality in that position?

Kouyate is a good defensive block but lacking quality passes. Since Cabaye went I'd say we only have Macca? Hughes is looking reasonable and Conor G is great but clearly more of an attacking foil. Schlupp is not a true midfielder and a bit more like Conor - best going forward...

What I dont understand is the benefits of taking him on a half-season loan? Is the outlook for Macca that poor?

I suspect CK has signed pre- contract so will leave for free in the summer. One last big payday in Saudi, good luck to him

Gallagher is miles better anyway.

It seemed if Bergkamp rung up Vieira to inform him of VDB's availability, then Vieira didn't want him in the first place.

No issue.

Gone to Everton. Well, there's a surprise.

The manager might change, but Palace's activity in the Transfer Market never does. Ponderous, protracted, pusillanimous.

I think it's more a case of us not wanting to cover his full wages and not offer a silly over priced loan fee for a player who may turn out to be good but as yet hasn't shown much.

It would have been a nice option to have but not worth throwing money at as it's not a long term signing. Would only ever have been worthwhile if it was on our terms. I like the fact we're in a position where we refuse to be bent over a barrel by other clubs.

Edited by samprior (30 Jan 2022 1.21pm)

Guaranteed we'll be signing him then

Unless the player has a particular draw to London then Everton was always likely to be a preferred choice for him when they came in. Can remain where he is house wise and his partner is expecting. Shame, but not a disaster.

Potentially Everton is a real banana skin. Really inconsistent (actually more consistently bad at the moment), very low on confidence and overall strength of squad isn't good. Unless their new manager can really get them performing and better organised they are a real candidate to go down.

Not true. We had a brilliant transfer market in the summer. And we often get gazumped by richer clubs too (usually West Ham) - that part is depressing.

The right place at the right time